News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

March 18, 2013

Ex-Oklahoma athlete killed in South Bend plane crash

SOUTH BEND — Former University of Oklahoma championship quarterback Steve Davis was one of two people killed when a small aircraft smashed into a house in northern Indiana, officials said today.

St. Joseph County Coroner Randy Magdalinski identified the victims of Sunday’s crash in South Bend as 60-year-old Steven Davis and 58-year-old Wesley Caves, both of Tulsa, Okla. An Oklahoma athletics official confirmed it was the same Davis who played for the Sooners in the 1970s. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the school has not yet announced the death.

Caves owned the Beechcraft Premier I twin-jet that clipped one house before slamming into two more Sunday afternoon. Caves had a pilot’s license, but it was not immediately clear if he was flying the plane when it crashed.

Davis went 32-1-1 as the Sooners’ starter from 1973 to 1975, starting every game of Barry Switzer’s first three seasons as head coach. Oklahoma tied Southern Cal in the second game of the 1973 season, then ran off 28 straight victories with Davis under center. The Sooners went 11-0 in 1974, then won the national title again the following year after going 11-1.

The plane leaked enough fuel in the crash to force the evacuation of hundreds of people from surrounding homes. The front part of the fuselage sat wedged inside the house just southwest of the South Bend Regional Airport where the pilot had tried to land the plane Sunday afternoon, minutes before the crash.

Two others on board the plane survived, South Bend Assistant Fire Chief John Corthier said. South Bend Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Maggie Scroope said today that Jim Rogers was in serious condition and Christopher Evans was in fair condition.

A woman who was injured on the ground, Diana McKeown, was in fair condition, Scroope said.

Authorities evacuated and cut the power to several homes in the neighborhood after fuel leaked from the jet’s engine into the basement of the home creating a “very dangerous” situation, Corthier said. Everyone in the neighborhood has been accounted for, he said.

One neighbor described her terror as the plane bore down on her home.

“I was looking out my picture window,” said Mary Jane Klaybor, who lives across the street from the crash site. “This (plane) was coming straight at my house. I went, ‘Huh?’ and then there was a big crash, and all the insulation went flying.”

She said: “I saw the plane, then I heard the boom.”

The plane began its journey in Tulsa, Okla. It is registered to 7700 Enterprises in Helena, Mont., which does business in Tulsa as DigiCut Systems and is owned by Caves.

Mike Daigle, executive director of the St. Joseph County Airport Authority, said the plane attempted a landing at the South Bend airport about 4:15 p.m., then went back up and maneuvered south to try another landing, but eight minutes later the airport learned the plane was no longer airborne.

He provided no information to indicate if the pilot said the plane was experiencing mechanical trouble. Daigle said today he has no firsthand knowledge about what caused the crash.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Todd Fox arrived at the scene late Sunday. He said his agency will be looking for the cause of the crash and “to identify and remedy any issues that could have prevented this accident.”

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Officials: Truck Hit Bridge Before Collapse Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day' Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo Jersey Shore Open for Business Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers Obama Defends Drone Strikes, With Limits Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty Two Suspects in Murder Known to London Police Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died Today in History May 24 Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy SeaWorld: Penguins Are Coolest Thing in Florida Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News